Dry cleaning method and apparatus



Oct. 14, 1952 J. T. LASCARI 2,614,026

DRY CLEANING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Oct. 31, 1950 '1 l I i l I I i Il l E INVENTOR.

JOSEPH 77 AAscARI A TTORNE Y Patented Oct. 14, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE,

DRY CLEANING METHOD AND APPARATUS Joseph T. Lascari, Torrington, Conn.Application October 31, 1950, Serial No. 193,133

3 Claims. (01. s 142) 1 This invention relates to dry cleaning, and moreparticularly to a process and means for dry cleaning with a solventwhich has been charged with a detergent and an emulsifier and to whichmoisture will be introduced.

One object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus fordispersing finely-divided water particles into a dry cleaning solventcontaining an emulsifier and a detergent.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved process forremoving successively from garments oil soluble soil and water solublesoilin one continuous operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved drycleaning method for removing both oil-soluble soil and water-solublesoil without redeposition of soil upon the garments, thereby restoringthe garments to their original brightness.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel dry cleaningmethod which will not only thoroughly clean the garments, but will bebeneficial to the fabrics cleaned, by virtue of supplying thereto finelydispersed moisture which will soften the fibers of said fabric andrestore them to their original character. g

A further object is to provide an apparatus of the above nature whichwill be simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy toinstall and manipulate, and very efficient and durable in use.

' With these and other objects in view, there has been illustrated onthe accompanying drawing one form in which the invention mayconveniently be embodied in practice.

In the drawing, the single figure represents a block diagram showingschematically the improved dry cleaning system.

Referring now to the drawing, in which like reference numerals denotecorresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral lindicates a dry cleaning washer into which the garments to be cleanedare deposited. The washer may be of any one of the constructions wellknown in the art, and is provided with the usual rotating washer wheel Wfor flushing the cleaning solvents and other materials through thegarments.

Means are provided for circulating the cleaning solvents through thewasher, comprising, in series, a lint and button trap [0a, communicatingwith the bottom of the washer H]; a pump l I for forcing the cleaningsolvents through the circulatory system in the direction of the arrows;at filter unit 12 for removing soil and moisture from the solvents aswill be hereinafter more fully explained; sight glasses l3 and l3a beingprovided for permitting visual inspection of the solvents leaving andre-entering the washer.

The solvent S contained in the washer l0 and circulated through theabove-described circulatory system may be any one of the conventionalcleaning solvents of the type exemplified by a volatile hydro-carbon orchlorinated hydrocarbon, the more commonly used of which are gasoline,Stoddard solvents, carbon tetrachloride, trichlorethylene andperchlorethylene.

In accordance with this invention, at a certain stage in the cleaningprocess finely divided distilled water will be injected into the solventS. Because water does not admix readily with the solvent S, it isnecessary to previously add to said solvent a detergent and anemulsifier coupler, or absorbefacient, such as is commonly known in theart, in order to render said solvent capable of absorbing substantialamounts of moisture in a state sufliciently fine and dispersed as not tobe injurious to the fabrics to be treated and without dissolving thesizing of the garment fibers. The detergent used may be either a truesoap or a synthetic detergent.

In order to inject distilled water D into the solvent provision is madeof a tank l4 communicating at its lower end with a non-rusting pipe I5,such as copper or brass, the other end of said pipe being connected toan atomizer I6 located in the lower end of the washer [0.

Within the washer I0 and above the atomizer I6 is a dome-shaped bafliemember B which serves to prevent the water from coming into directcontact with the garments in the washer Wheel W. The atomizer I6 isprovided with a shut-off valve I! for controlling the injection ofdistilled water into the detergent-charged solvent in the washer Ill.The tank 14 is equipped with a graduated sight glass Ila for indicatingthe level of distilled water in said tank by means of which the amountof water injected into the washer may be determined at all times.

The tank [4 may be the usual condenser associated with the steam plantnecessary in a dry cleaning and pressing establishment. Distilled waterflows into the tank i4 through the pipes l8, I9, and 20. In the eventthat the tank I4 becomes iull, there is provided a return path for thewater to the steam plant boiler, or other return system, not shown,consisting of a pipe 2|, a steam trap 22, and a pipe 23. The pressure ofthe steam from the pipe I8 causes the distilled water D to be injectedin a finely atomized condition into the washer Hi. If desired, anauxiliary or substitute source of pressure may be supplied by means ofan air compressor connected through a control valve 24 and a pipe 25 tothe top of the tank 14.

The tank M is further provided with a blowout valve 26 for eitherlowering the level of the water in the tank or for cleaning it out. Aservice water connection may also be connected to the tank 14 through ashut-off valve. 21 and a pipe 28 for providing a make-up supply of tapwater in case of an insufficient supply of distilled water.

Operation In using the improved dry cleaning system herein disclosed,the garments Will first be cleaned in the usual way by thedetergent-charged solvents to remove the oil soluble soil. The detergentmay previously be introduced into the solvent either directly into thewasher or into the solvent supply tank, not shown. The solvent will becontinuously cleaned by the filter [2, which removes the soil picked upby the solvent, as in the usual dry cleaning process, The valve I! willthen be turned on and the water from the tank l4, under pressure, willbe atomized and injected into the bottom of the washer l below thesolvent level thereof. The baffle B will spread the atomized water andthus prevent it from coming into direct contact with the garments,thereby avoiding any possibility of water staining or shrinking of thegarment fabrics.

It has been found that best results are obtained when a sufiicientamount of water is injected to turn the solvent from its normal clearcolor to a cloudy-milk-like color which is not optically clear. Thisfogging of the solvent is indicative of very finely dispersed moisturethroughout the solvent. Upon the subsequent flushing of themoisture-containing solvent through the garments being cleaned, theremaining water-soluble soil, such as sugar, perspiration, food, andprotein spots will be loosened and suspended in the water particles,after Which the Water and water soluble soil will be removed by thefilter l2.

One advantage of this invention is that while most of the water in thecleaning solvent is carried away with the removed soil, part of thedispersed moisture will be absorbed by the fibers of the fabric beingcleaned in such a manner as to have a rejuvenating efiect upon thegarment.

Another advantage is that oil-soluble soil and water-soluble soil willbe removed successively in a continuous process without danger of havingthe soil being redeposited in the garments.

Another advantage resides in'the use of distilled water in preference toordinary mineralcontainin tap water, thus enhancing the detergent actionin the removal of water-soluble soil and avoiding rusting or corrodingof the apparatus and cleaning equipment.

While there has been disclosed in this specification one form in whichthe invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this form isshown for the purpose of illustration only and that the invention is notto be limited to the specific disclosure, but may be modified andembodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. Inshort, the invention includes 4 all the modifications and embodimentscoming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new, andfor which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is:

1. The process of dry cleaning fabrics which comprises agitating a batchof fabrics in a solution of a dry cleaning solvent and a detergentemulsifier to remove from said fabrics the dry cleaning solvent-solublesoil, and while continuing the agitation of said solution in contactwith said fabrics subsequently injecting under pressure atomizedfinely-dispersed water particles into said solution below the surfacelevel thereof in such a quantity as to produce a cloudy emulsion withthe water particles suspended therein, continuing the agitation of saidfabrics in the water-charged emulsion to remove the water soluble soilfrom said fabrics, removing said emulsion and solventsoluble andwater-soluble soil from said fabrics, and finally filtering the soil andwater particles from said emulsion.

2. The process as defined in claim 1, in which said fabrics arethereafter rinsed in said water free filtered solution to preventshrinkage of said fabrics.

3. In a dry cleaning apparatus, a circulatory system including a washertank within which is a rotatable perforated tumbler barrel adapted tocontain a batch of fabrics and a dry cleaning solvent charged with adetergent, means for rotating said tumbler barrel in said tank to removethe solvent-soluble soil from the fabrics therein, a first conduit,means to supply water under pressure to said first conduit, an atomizerwithin the washer tank and located below the surface level of saidsolvent and connected to the other end of said first conduit forinjecting finely-dispersed water particles into said solvent after thesolventsoluble soil has been removed from said fabrics, to produce acloudy emulsion and suspension of water in said solvent, whereby thesubsequent continued rotation of said barrel and the batch of fabricstherein will remove the water-soluble soil from said fabrics, a pump, asecond conduit leading from said tank to said pump, a third conduitconnected to said pump and leading back to said tank, and a filter insaid third conduit to remove all the soil and suspended water from saidsolvent before it is returned to said tank.

JOSEPH T. LASCARI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 446,051 Young Feb. 10,1891933,358 Bartelt Sept. 7, 1909 1,801,513 Lindberg Apr. 21, 1931 2,024,981Reddish Dec. 17, 1935 2,127,252 Fischer Aug. 16, 1938 2,158,614 ReddishMay 16, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 460,711 Great BritainFeb. 2, 1937

1. THE PROCESS OF DRY CLEANING FABRICS WHICH COMPRISES AGITATING A BATCHOF FABRICS IN A SOLUTION OF A DRY CLEANING SOLVENT AND A DETERGENTEMULSIFIER TO REMOVE FROM SAID FABRICS THE DRY CLEANING SOLVENT-SOLUBLESOIL, AND WHILE CONTINUING THE AGITATION OF SAID SOLUTION IN CONTACTWITH SAID FABRICS SUBSEQUENTLY INJECTING UNDER PRESSURE ATOMIZEDFINELY-DISPERSED WATER PARTICLES INTO SAID SOLUTION BELOW THE SURFACELEVEL THEREOF IN SUCH A QUANTITY AS TO PRODUCE A CLOUDY EMULSION WITHTHE WATER PARTICLES SUSPENDED THEREIN, CONTINUING THE AGITATION OF SAIDFABRICS IN THE WATER-CHARGED EMULSION TO REMOVE THE WATER SOLUBLE SOILFROM SAID FABRICS, REMOVING SAID EMULSION AND SOLVENTSOLUBLE ANDWATER-SOLUBLE SOIL FROM SAID FABRICS, AND FINALLY FILTERING THE SOIL ANDWATER PARTICLES FROM SAID EMULSION.
 3. IN A DRY CLEANING APPARTUS, ACIRCULATORY SYSTEM INCLUDING A WASHER TANK WITHIN WHICH IS A ROTATABLEPERFORATED TUMBLE BARREL ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A BATCH OF FABRICS AND A DRYCLEANING SOLVENT CHARGED WITH A DETERGENT, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAIDTUMBLER BARREL IN SAID TANK TO REMOVE THE SOLVENT-SOLUBLE SOIL FROM THEFABRIC THEREIN, A FIRST CONDUIT, MEANS TO SUPPLY WATER UNDER PRESSURE TOSAID FIRST CONDUIT, AN ATOMIZER WITHIN THE WASHER TANK AND LOCATED BELOWTHE SURFACE LEVEL OF SAID SOLVENT AND CONNECTED TO THE OTHER END OF SAIDFIRST CONDUIT FOR INJECTING FINELY-DISPERSED WATER PARTICLES INTO SAIDSOLVENT AFTER THE SOLVENTSOLUBLE SOIL HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM SAIDFABRICS, TO PRODUCE A CLOUDY EMULSION AND SUSPENSION OF WATER IN SAIDSOLVENT, WHEREBY THE SUBSEQUENT CONTINUTED ROTATION OF SAID BARREL ANDTHE BATCH OF FABRICS, THEREIN WILL REMOVE THE WATER-SOLUBLE SOIL FROMSAID FABRICS, A PUMP, A SECOND CONDUIT LEADING FROM SAID TANK TO SAIDPUMP, A THIRD CONDUIT CONNECTED TO SAID PUMP AND LEADING BACK TO SAIDTANK, AND A FILTER IN SAID THIRD CONDUIT TO REMOVE ALL THE SOIL ANDSUSPENDED WATER FROM SAID SOLVENT BEFORE IT IS RETURNED TO SAID TANK.